Share your favorites on Show & Tell

How To Clean faux-Brass Shaft and Bakelight???

In Telephones > Kellogg Telephones > Show & Tell and Telephones > Candlestick Telephones > Show & Tell.
AnythingObsc…'s loves9377 of 9561Tibet Almond Stick Furniture Scratch Relief & Folk Art Flamenco DancerOld LOL photo
12
Love it
1
Like it

jscott0363jscott0363 loves this.
PhonoboyPhonoboy likes this.
Rick55Rick55 loves this.
vetraio50vetraio50 loves this.
JImamJImam loves this.
mikelv85mikelv85 loves this.
fortapachefortapache loves this.
blunderbuss2blunderbuss2 loves this.
ttomtuckerttomtucker loves this.
officialfuelofficialfuel loves this.
AnythingObscureAnythingObscure loves this.
freonfreon loves this.
MeowmanMeowman loves this.
See 11 more
Add to collection

    Please create an account, or Log in here

    If you don't have an account, create one here.


    Create a Show & TellReport as inappropriate


    Posted 7 years ago

    SpiritBear
    (813 items)

    Well my computer crashed as I was nearing completion of my background, details, and full question, and as I am quite unhappy I'll just give a few details pertaining to my question, and then ask it:

    Today I picked up a broken candlestick for pieces to replace the mouthpiece of my other one. This one has a crack in the thin covering over the tube that connects base to mouth.

    I realised it wasn't thin brass, but Bakelight, as I tapped it against my teeth. Both are like that, and I didn't realise it before.

    I would like to know if it was always meant to be ugly aged brass colour, or if it was once shiny-- it's not brass, it's Bakelight.

    If it was meant to be clean-brass-colour, how do I clean the shaft covering to make it look new again? Neither BFK nor Brasso did anything except make it stink (I experimented on the cracked one).

    Or will I have to spray it? I desire not to, but if need be I will as I want it to look nice- especially if the mouthpiece body turns out to be brass, not iron, under the paint, as I would like to reveal that.

    Also, for the Bakelight, is there a safe cleaner for it? Should I use a carwax on it to make it look shiny? I'd like to overrestore this one to how I want it to look.

    I'll do both phones, though one will be a pieces phone and the other will be on display.

    Help?

    Unsolved Mystery

    Help us close this case. Add your knowledge below.

    logo
    Kellogg Telephones
    See all
    Vintage Antique Kellogg Wood Wall Telephone Crank - Black - Sku - 24848
    Vintage Antique Kellogg Wood Wall T...
    $21
    Kellogg Mouthpiece For Vintage Antique Telephone - SKU - 20467
    Kellogg Mouthpiece For Vintage Anti...
    $21
    Antique telephone, magneto Crank Handle Kellogg + others
    Antique telephone, magneto Crank Ha...
    $19
    Antique telephone nameplate Kellogg,Chicago T, Julius Andrae,Monarch + Others
    Antique telephone nameplate Kellogg...
    $9
    logo
    Vintage Antique Kellogg Wood Wall Telephone Crank - Black - Sku - 24848
    Vintage Antique Kellogg Wood Wall T...
    $21
    See all

    Comments

    1. AnythingObscure AnythingObscure, 7 years ago
      Please carefully consider your plans for these phones...the one on the LH side in your pics (is that the 'parts' one?) has an interesting plug on it, and what's that arm-thing that plug is resting on? And what part/s of which phones are "broken", besides whatever cracked bakelite you mention?


    2. blunderbuss2 blunderbuss2, 7 years ago
      That gummy stuff is probably from people holding it there. Usually, if you keep those areas oiled(any thin oil like olive oiled) for a few days or longer, that gum will soften & lot easier to get off.
    3. blunderbuss2 blunderbuss2, 7 years ago
      Anything, we can still buy those plugs in St. Maarten. Shall I send a dozen when I get home ?
    4. PoliticalPinbacks PoliticalPinbacks, 7 years ago
      I like the olive oil idea as plastic is made from oil, If you have a soft buffing wheel for a bench grinder it will save a lot of time, Just keep a good grip so you don't throw it across the room and keep it moving as not to burn or melt it, car wax should work good for a final shine.
    5. fortapache fortapache, 7 years ago
      Is the one on the right a Stromberg Carlson? I got one like it that has been painted black. If all yours needs is cleaning I just leave it maybe some windex. I am going to need paint remover.
    6. SpiritBear, 7 years ago
      Anything Obscure, the plug on the left-side parts phone is probably twenty years newer than the phone itself. It had been converted for, at their time, modern use. I'm not sure why its arm is different. It is missing its earpiece, and the Bakelite shaft is cracked from top to bottom on the back.I just want the mouthpiece plate off it.
      Anything I do can be undone or redone. I do things permanently, but they don't have to be permanent. I intend to polish and repaint, albeit I want the brass to show, but that can be repainted if desired.

      Blunderbuss, the Bakelite is cracked, likely from being dropped. Nothing is gummy on them. There are merely chips, cracks, and surface layers of paint missing. I will strip and refinish them. I was going to start today, but it decided to rain all day.

      Political Pinbacks, I will likely get a polishing cloth and work it by hand. I don't have many fancy tools nor the finances to buy them (either I can buy the stuff or buy the tools, but not both. LOL), so I tend to do things the hard way. I was thinking on Turtle Wax. Thank you.

      Fort Apache, no, they are both Kellogg phones circa the 1910s. One had two layers of paint, with the surface layer falling off, so it needs redone. I could polish the other, but I have desire to bring them both back to life.
    7. PoliticalPinbacks PoliticalPinbacks, 7 years ago
      Sounds like the same reason I have only a few display cases ;p A paste wax may work better then liquid but I would used what ya have first & see, enjoy LOL
    8. SpiritBear, 7 years ago
      I'll look into it. Thank you, Political Pinbacks.

    Want to post a comment?

    Create an account or login in order to post a comment.